Rindis.com

Crossposted from the SFU blog on BGG.

For the Alliance half of turn 2, the war continues to expand into the Four Powers War, with the Hydrans able to attack the Klingons in support of the Kzinti.

The Kzinti repaired the damage to their SB, while the Hydrans repaired a number of frigates.

Builds:
Kzinti: DNE, CS, 2xCL, CLD, 3xFF, MB, Convoy, CS->CD
Hydran: TEM, RN, 2xLN, SA, 2xHN, Convoy, MB

Bel concentrated his raids against the Klingons, and disrupted two provinces at the cost of a crippled LN.

The Hydrans kept up pressure on the Lyrans, putting much of their navy into Lyran space for a second assault on the Enemy’s Blood SB, and sent a strong force forward to kill the BS at 0109. Meanwhile, the 1st Fleet crossed the Klingon border and attacked the two border stations near the rim of the galaxy.

The Kzintis also counterattacked, hitting four border stations, the NZ planet, and the planet in 1407.

Hydran occupation of Lyran space.

Kzinti counterattack.

Supporting the Hegemony.

Combat:
0411: Hydran: dest RN, SC, crip SA, 2xHN; Lyran: crip 2xCC, 2xCL, 4xDD
0109: Lyran: dest BS, POL
0512: Hydran: crip HN; Lyran: crip FF
0312: SSC: Hydran: crip CU; Lyran: crip DD, retreat
0412: Lyran: dest DD
1419: Hydran: dest SC, crip HN; Klingon: crip D6, F5L
1417: Hydran: dest 2xCU; Klingon: crip F5, 2xE3
1004: SSC: Kzinti: crip FF, retreat; Klingon: crip F5, retreat
1305: SSC: Klingon: dest E3
1505: SSC: Klingon: dest F5
1606: SSC: Klingon retreat
1506: Kzinti: crip 3xFF; Klingon: crip 2xF5
1507: Kzinti: dest CL, crip 2xCL, CLG; Klingon: crip D7, D6, E4
0906: Kzinti: dest CL
1005: SSC: Klingon: dest F5
1107: Refused approach, retreat
1307: Kzinti: dest DF, crip SF; Klingon: crip D6
1407: Kzinti: dest CLD, SF, SAS, FTS, crip CL; Klingon: crip 2xD7C, D6, TGB, F5, E4

The SB battle was impressive, with the Lyrans getting 114 ComPot even while dialing the SB EW up to 4. The Hydrans went for a heavy line, and got up to 118, but were looking at a -2 shift, and then I destroyed the only scout so I could dial the EW back a little. After killing a RN on the second round, he retreated out, as I still had a pretty deep reserve even with all the cripples I was taking.

The cost of all the mayhem in Lyran space is that the Hyran forces facing the Klingons are completely inadequate. He attacked two bases, and after the reserves showed up, didn’t have nearly the firepower of the Klingons at either.

The SSC in 1004 should have been a kill for Bel, as it was 3xFF vs an F5. But a low roll on his part just did two casualties, allowing it to retreat out. Better, a ’12’ from me caused one of the FFs to cripple as the Kzinti retreated out. I’d promote the captain to a D6 command, but the F5 was overrun and destroyed by forces retreating out of the 0906 battle.

The main action on the Kzinti border was an attack on my minor planet in 1407. I was able to retreat 1307 into the battle, which sadly moved some cripples away from repair, but made sure I could drive him off. He’d even brought in a couple auxiliaries, but they had no chance to do anything in the one round before retreat.

The Hydrans still have substantial forces in Lyran space, which really puts the onus on the Klingons to be active on that front to try and force him to redeploy. Not a pleasant prospect in the face of good ships, bases with fighters, and the BIR adjustment against hellbore-armed ships, though so far everything there is fusion-armed.

Thanks mostly to a good number of ship kills, the Coalition total is up to 41.45 VPs. The Alliance is starting to gain VPs for occupying Lyran provinces and a large number of cripples, and is up to 71.2 VPs for a Major Victory (at this moment).